Europe toll crosses 75K on Easter
Rome, April 12
Billions around the world celebrated Easter Sunday from lockdown at home as the Pope urged solidarity to fight the coronavirus pandemic and the European death toll from the virus topped 75,000.
Unprecedented scenes of empty churches emerged from Italy to Panama and the Philippines, as religious leaders found creative ways to address parishioners marking the holiday weekend from the confines of their homes.
More than half the world — over four billion people — are in lockdown worldwide as governments scramble to halt the pandemic’s deadly march across the globe. Europe is by far the hardest-hit continent and on Sunday marked a grave milestone with more than 75,000 dead.
The United States has emerged as a hotspot of the pandemic and on Saturday marked its own grim milestone of more than 20,000 deaths, out of over half a million infected.
Spain saw its daily death toll drop for three day straight — but on Sunday reported a slight spike again with 619 fresh fatalities. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Netherlands has also topped 25,000, with the number of deaths rising by 94 to 2,737.
And though in Italy the total toll was nearing the 20,000 mark, its daily death toll and rate of new infections has started to level off.
In France, newly reported coronavirus deaths fell by one-third from Friday to 635 on Saturday. In the USA, New Orleans and hardest hit New York,too, saw a slowdown in the number of new infections, deaths and hospitalisations, offering a shred of hope.
Meanwhile, in Iran the death toll rose by 117 to 4,474. The Islamic Republic has recorded 71,686 cases. Ten thousand graves have been dug in a new section of the sprawling Behesht-e Zahra cemetery south of Tehran to deal with coronavirus deaths, the official. — AFP
Pak records 386 new cases
Islamabad, Apr 12 (PTI) Pakistan on Sunday reported 386 fresh coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of the COVID-19 patients in the country to 5,170. The Ministry of National Health Services said that 14 more people have died due to COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of fatalities to 86. It said that 1,026 patients have recovered so far while 37 were reported to be in critical condition. The number of coronavirus cases has risen to 5,170 with 386 new infections reported in one day, it said. — AFP
Three Indian nationals test positive for coronavirus in Nepal
Kathmandu: Three Indian nationals, who entered Nepal from India for a religious mass gathering and were staying at a mosque in the southern part of the country, have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the health ministry here said on Sunday. The three Indian men, aged 37, 44 and 55 years, were staying at the mosque in Birgunj city, 135 km south of the capital Kathmandu, due to the nationwide lockdown which has been imposed till April 15, the Ministry of Health and Population said. With the three fresh cases, the total number of infections in the country has gone up to 12. The three are undergoing treatment and their condition is normal, said the Health Ministry.
Cases on US aircraft carrier rise to 550
Washington: The number of COVID-19 cases on USS Theodore Roosevelt, the nuclear-powered American aircraft carrier, has increased to 550, the US Navy said. The Navy said that 92 per cent of the carrier’s crew members have been tested for COVID-19, with 550 positive and 3,673 negative, and that a total of 3,696 sailors have been moved ashore. The data came some two weeks after the ship’s captain Brett Crozier sounded alarm over the outbreak
50 french sailors test +ve
The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle arrived in the southern French port of Toulon with sailors onboard infected with COVID-19.Fifty sailors aboard the aircraft carrier, the flagship of the French navy, have contracted the disease the armed forces ministry said. AFP
UK toll tops 10K
London: Health officials say 657 more people in England have died from the coronavirus, raising the total UK deaths over 10,000. The National Health Service figure does not include deaths in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. The 657 deaths come on top of the 9,875 deaths of people with COVID-19. While the number of new cases and hospitalisations appears to have plateaued, deaths are still rising.
UK toll tops 10K
London: Health officials say 657 more people in England have died from the coronavirus, raising the total UK deaths over 10,000. The National Health Service figure does not include deaths in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. The 657 deaths come on top of the 9,875 deaths of people with COVID-19. While the number of new cases and hospitalisations appears to have plateaued, deaths are still rising.
